Principal Investigator: Fisher Aron B. a. TITLE OF CORE UNIT CORE A: GENE EXPRESSION Name eraCommons Role on Project Affiliation Position Sheldon I. Feinstein, Ph.D. feinsteins Core Director Univ. Penn Sr. Research Invest. ABSTRACT: The purpose of the Gene Expression Core, Core A is to facilitate the study of the genes and gene products that are of interest to the projects. All of the proposed projects in this application will examine key proteins in surfactant metabolism. The ability to study these proteins in vitro, in cells and in animals will be critical to the projects. The Core will provide services, instruments, expertise and assistance to all the projects in accomplishing these goals. Specifically, the Core will generate recombinant proteins in E. coli, insect cells and the yeast, Pichia pastoris, perform site-directed mutagenesis and deletion mutagenesis, assist in the construction of knock-in mice, perform genotype analysis for knock-in, knockout or transgenic mice, provide use of a real-time PCR and the Amaxa electroporation system for transfections of primary cells in culture and prepare and amplify adenoviral expression constructs. The insect cell and yeast expression systems, the PCR genotyping of mice, the constructs for knock-in mice, the real-time PCR and the transfection with Amaxa are all new services added by the Core since the last program renewal in 2001. All of the projects in the Program plan to use services offered by the Core. The Core also stands ready to provide assistance with other areas of molecular biology and gene expression such as use of small interfering RNA (siRNA).